Dr Lesley Fallowfield.
A cancer psychologist and Director
of the Cancer Research Campaign's
Psychosocial Group.
Lesley Fallowfield, Ph.D., is Professor of Psycho-oncology at Brighton &
Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex where she is Director of the Cancer
Research UK Psychosocial Oncology Group. In 1991 Professor Fallowfield became
full-time Director of the Psychosocial Oncology Group. She was awarded the first
European chair in Psycho-oncology by the University College London in 1997. Her
research interests are wide and include the measurement of quality of life in
clinical trials of cancer therapy and training in communication skills for
health care professionals engaged in cancer care. She has published over 250
papers, and written or co-edited 3 books. She lectures and runs training
workshops throughout the world in psychosocial oncology, quality of life
assessment and communication skills.
Professor Fallowfield’s research
into promoting better communication skills for health care professionals has
been recognised by Cancer Research UK and her training courses for professionals
in this area are now being run throughout the UK as part of the Department of
Health's Cancer Plan.
Professor Fallowfield originally
trained as a nurse at Guy’s Hospital London and then did a BSc in Experimental
Psychology at Sussex. Research for her doctorate in psychophysics was completed
at the Universities of Sussex and Cambridge. She was a senior lecturer in health
psychology at the Royal London Medical College where she gained a career
development fellowship and a major programme grant from the Cancer Research
Campaign.